Dispensing magazine for ball point refill cartridges



July 16, 1963 R. J. BURNHAM DISPENSING MAGAZINE FOR BALL POINT REFILLCARTRIDGES Filed Dec. 18, 1961 R m V m fro? 5/5 BY 56m. 44L

United States Patent 3,097,739 DISPENSING MAGAZINE FOR BALL POINT REFILLCARTRIDGES Robert Jay Burnham, 179-39 Tudor Road, Jamaica 32, N.Y. FiledDec. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 160,199 6 Claims. (Cl. 206--56) This invent-ion[relates to a dispensing magazine for ball point refill cartridges.

It is an object of my invention to provide a magazine of the characterdescribed which consists of extremely few parts and can be manufacturedat a very low cost so that ball point nefill cartridges can be sold tothe public in sizable handy lots of a dozen or so cartridges per lot ata price which is comparable per cartridge with the prices of the samecartridges sold in smaller lots and held together by less attractivepackaging means such, for instance, as plastic envelopes and bubblepackages.

It is another object of my invention to provide a dispensing magazine ofthe character described which is specially constructed and arranged forsimple and positive manual ejection of ball point refill cart-ridgeswithout the encumbrance of an ejection mechanism.

It is another object of my invention to provide a. dis pensing magazineof the character described which can he factory-loaded simply andeasily, and can, if desired, subsequently be reloaded in the field afterits original supply of refill cartridges has been exhausted.

It is another object of my invention to provide -a dispensing magazineof the character described which is specially constructed and arrangedto protect the ball points of the refill cartridges while the cartridgesare located within the magazine.

It is another object of my invention to provide a dispensing magazine ofthe character described which is uniquely devised to facilitateinsertion, subsequent to loading of refill cartridges therein, of a leafspring for urging the uppermost cartridge in the magazine to a correctpreejection position.

It is another object of my invention to provide a dispensing magazine ofthe character described which is arranged to display visually the stateof its contents, i.e., the approximate number of refill cartridges leftat any time within the magazine, and at the same time to conceal theb-iassing leaf spring when the magazine is full so that the magazinewill have an attractive counter appearance.

It is another object of my invention to provide a dispensing magazine ofthe character described in which the visual display means is arranged toserve the further function of permitting reinsertion into the magazineof fresh cartridges or of cartridges which have been ejected.

It is another object of my invention to provide a dispensing magazine ofthe character described which may be made by mass production methodssuch, for instance, as injection molding, Without, however, sacrificingstiffness or rigidity so that the magazine is rugged and foolproof.

It is another object of my invention to provide a dispensing magazine ofthe character described in which provision is made to minimizefrictional contact between the stack of cartridges and the internalsurface of the magazine whereby the cartridges may be maintained in aparallel stacked arrangement with the aid of a leaf spring which is notunduly strong whereby the axial pressure exerted on a cartridge forejection of the same from the magazine need not be overly great.

0ther objects of my invention in part will be obvious and in part willbe pointed out hereinafter.

My invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts which will beexemplified in the magazine hereinafter described, and of which thescope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the variouspossible embodimenm of my invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a magazine constructed in accordancewith my invention, the same being shown partially full and in theprocess of having a ball point refill cartridge dispensed therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the magazine with the front half of the casingremoved;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partially broken away sectional view takensubstantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rear half of the easing; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the magazine showing a step in theinsention of the biassing leaf spring.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10denotes a magazine constructed in accordance with and embodying myinvention and designed and arranged for the dispensing one at a time ofball point refill cartridges 12 from a stack of the same containedtherein.

The cantridges 12 are entirely conventional; however, in order todescribe with accuracy their cooperation with the magazine, the externalconfiguration of the cartridge will be detailed. Each said cartridgeconsists of an ink tube 14 which is an elongated straight slender sleevehaving an essentially cylindrical configuration, or, more exactlydescribed, a configuration which is cylindrical over its entire exteriorperiphery except for a pinch 16, or crimp, intermediate its ends andnearer the front end of the ink tube than the rear. At the pinch themaximum transverse dimension of the tube exceeds the diameter of thecylindrical portion of the tube. Said pinch is provided for well-knowncooperation with certain structural elements of standard ball pointpens.

At the front end of the ink tube 14 a shoulder 18 defines the zone ofdemarcation between the ink tube and a socalled point 20. The point is ashort tube coaxial with the ink tube 14 and extending forwardlytherefrom, the diameter of the point being less than diameter of the inktube. The front end of the point is tapered and at its tip there iscaptively mounted a writing ball 22'.

The materials of the various parts of the cartridge 12 areself-form-maintaining. Usually the ink tube is made of metal, althoughsome tubes are fabricated from plastic. The point and the ballconventionally consist of metal. Obviously, all of the cartridges in themagazine 10 as originally sold are freshly prepared and are ready to beinserted into a ball point pen, hence they will be full of ball pointink.

The magazine 10 consists of only three parts. Two of these parts are thehalves of the casing and the third part is a leaf spring. Moreparticularly, the parts constitute a front casing half 24, a rear casinghalf 26 and a narrow leaf spring 28.

The two halves of the casing may be intercoupled in any suitablefashion, for example by friction interfitting, i.e. having one partforced into the other, by snap lock interfit-ting, or by =au-togenouswelding, either with the use of heat or a solvent, or through the mediumof a cementitious adhesive. In the form of my invention shown hereineach of the two halves of the casing is formed with a squat peripheralflange and the flange of one of the halves, specifically the rear half,is shaped and dimensioned to be a tight frictional press fit within theperipheral flange of the front half. Alternatively, the two flangescould be identically shaped and dimensioned and each half properly sizedso as to provide the correct interior dimensions for the casing whichwill be described hereinafter. 'I'hereupon the edges of the flanges canbe abutted and held to one another, as by welding or adhesion, or theperipheral flanges further can be provided with male and femaleinterlockable elements, e.g. recesses and cooperating slightly resilientsnap-in tongues so that the two halves can be snapped together. In anyevent in a complete casing the two halves are securely interengaged withone another either permanently or detachably. Inasmuch as the particularstructure used for interengagement is not a feature of my invention Ishall not dwell upon the same any further except to indicate that onearrangement for such interengagement, to wit, the internestingarrangement, is clearly shown in FIG. 3.

When completed, i.e. with the front and rear halves interengaged, thecasing comprises a broad fiat front wall 30 and a broad flat rear wall32, said walls being parallel and coextensive. The completed casingfurther includes a top wall 34 and a bottom wall 36. These walls arenarrow, straight and parallel and are coextensive with one another.Moreover, the casing includes a left end wall 38 and a right end wall40. These two walls likewise are narrow and straight and are parallel toand coextensive with one another.

The top wall, bottom wall, left end wall and right end wall hold thefront and rear walls apart from one another so that there is providedwithin the casing a high thin long hollow interior space the length ofwhich is slightly in excess of the lengths of the individual cartridgesand the height of which is somewhat in excess of the sum of the externaldiameters of the ink tubes 14 of all the cartridges in a stack when themagazine is ready for sale. The distance between the front and rearwalls, ie the breadth of the interior space of the casing, is barely inexcess of the maximum cross-sectional dimension of a cartridge, thisbeing the maximum width of a pinch 16.

The casing is fabricated from any sturdy self-formmaintaining opaquematerial. It may, for instance, be made of sheet metal; however, due tothe somewhat complex configuration of the casing in accordance with myinvention and which will be described in detail hereinafter, I prefer tofabricate the casing by molding, e.g. by injection molding, from anopaque synthetic thermoplastic. One such synthetic thermoplastic which Ihave found to be satisfactory is a so-called high impact resin which isa mixture of polystyrene and a copolymer of butadiene and styrene. Thisresin has the advantages that it has a high tensile strength, it iscomparatively inexpensive, articles of thin section molded therefrom arenot brittle, and it can be pleasantly colored to provide an attractiveappearance.

The high thin long hollow interior space of the casing is deliberatelymade with a breadth that is greater than the diameter of an ink tube inorder, as noted, to provide additional space for accommodation of thepinches 16 regardless of their angular positions whereby to avoid thepossibility of binding of cartridges within the casing. However, thisoversize internal breadth tends to cause the cartridges to betransversely offset from one another in the stack, i.e. not to be invertical registration within the magazine. Moreover, such offsetting mayhave the effect of jamming the ink tubes against the internal surfacesof the front and rear walls. I have prevented this from occurring byartificially reducing the effective breadth of the interior of thecasing in zones remote from the vertical region in which the pinches 16are located in a stack of cartridges contained within the magazine.

The reduction means takes the form of at least two linear protuberancesraised on the inside face of the front wall or the rear wall of thecasing. The length of said linear pro-tuber-ances runs perpendicular tothe lengths of the cartridges contained within the casing, that is tosay, the lengths of the protuberances extend in a general directionhaving a substantial component parallel to the lengths of the left endwall and the right end wall.

In the preferred form of my invention shown in the accompanyingdrawings, said protuberances assume the shapes of straight verticalribs. Although the reduction in internal width may be accomplished byproviding only two ribs on either the front wall or the rear wall, Iprefer to include two such ribs on each front wall and rear wall. Theseribs may or may not be in transverse registry, i.e. front-to-backregistry. The positions of the ribs are not critical for the purpose ofreducing the effective internal breadth of the casing providing that theribs are arranged to be spaced forwardly and rearwardly of the pinches16 so that they will not contact the same. All of the ribs may belocated so as to engage the ink tube 14 or one or more ribs may belocated to engage the tubular points 20. Desirably, one rib is locatednear the left end wall 38 and the other near the right end wall 40 so asto provide nicely spaced side (lateral) engagement for all thecartridges in the stack.

Specifficially, I provide each front wall 30 and each rear wall 32 withan integral right hand rib 42 and an integral left hand rib 44. Both ofthese ribs are parallel to one another and to the two end walls 38, 40.The upper ends of the two ribs 32, 44 terminate short of the innersurface of the top wall 34 by a distance at least about equal to thediameter of an ink tube 14 but preferably not greater than one andone-half times such diameter. Accordingly these ribs will not engage theuppermost cartridge in the stack contained within the magazine but willengage the next to the uppermost cartridge in the stack and all theremaining cartridges in the stack.

The ribs are sufficiently long to engage all such cartridges. Howeverthe lowermost ends of the ribs are spaced from the bottom wall 36 sincea full magazine does not have cartridges all the way down to the bottomwall because it is desired to provide sufficient clearance foraccommodation of the stressed leaf spring 28.

The rib 42 on the front and rear walls between them define an effectivetransverse dimension (breadth) just barely in excess of the diameter ofthe cylindrical portions of the ink tubes 14, e.g. a few thousandths ofan inch greater, taking into account tolerances in the manufacture ofthe ink tubes and tolerances in the fabrication of the casing. Thus thespace between the ribs 42 will serve to maintain the ink tubes in asubstantially registered vertical stack one substantially directly abovethe other and each ink tube will slide either on one or the other of theribs 42, being individually and at random displaced unnoticeably out ofvertical registration to enable such engagement to take place.

The left hand ribs 44 engage the left hand ends of the cartridges 12 inan essentially similar manner. However, at least one and optionally bothof the left hand ribs 44 are located to engage the cartridges, not atthe ink tubes 14, but, rather, at the tubular points 20 immediatelyadjacent the shoulders 18. Hence the ribs 44 will be slightly higherthan the ribs 42 and between them will define an effective transversedimension (breadth) barely larger than the diameters of the points 20taking into account manufacturing tolerances.

The right hand side of the rib (or ribs) 44 against which the shoulders18 ride is spaced from the interior surface of the left hand wall 38 ofthe casing by a distance slightly greater than the distance from theshoulder 18 to the tip of the writing ball 22 in order to prevent thewriting ball from contacting the inner surface of the left end wall 38.This arrangement prevents the balls from pressing against the wall 38while they are held in the magazine and thereby preserves freshness ofthe cartridges. It will be appreciated that this axial leftwardlylocating effect for the cartridges can be secured by having only one rib44 positioned to be abutted by the shoulders 18 and having the other ribdimensioned and located to engage a portion of the ink tubes forward ofthe pinches 16. However, I have found it convenient to make the two lefthand ribs 44 transversely registered so that they both are adapted to beengaged by the shoulders 18.

The leaf spring 28 is made from an elongated narrow shaped strip of thinresilient material such, for instance, as spring Phosphor bronze orspring steel. In its relaxed, i.e. idle, position, the leaf spring 28assumes the configuration of a V with a rounded bottom 46, i.e.retroverted Ibend, such as shown, for example, in FIG. 5. When the leafspring is in position (its method of introduction into the casing willbe described in detail hereinafter) the tips of the legs of the leafspring are spread apart and bear against the internal surface of thebottom wall 36 as shown, for example, in FIG. 2. The bend 46 is more orless centrally disposed between the walls 38, 40 and bears against theunderside of the lowermost cartridge in the stack whereby to bias thestack upwardly. The spring is so dimensioned, i.e. is of such a heightin idle position (shown in FIG. 5), that it will bias the lowermostcartridge upwardly even when this lowermost cartridge is the last, i.e.the uppermost, cartridge in the stack. As the cartridges are dispensed,the spring reverts more closely to its unbiased state, with the tips ofits legs approaching one another. When the magazine is full the tips ofthe legs are Widely spread apart.

I provide a dispensing aperture 48 at the upper left hand corner of thedispensing casing, to wit, at the upper end of the left end wall 38. Thetop side of this dispensing aperture is in line with, i.e., in the sameplane as the internal flat surface of the narrow top wall 34. The sidesof the dispensing aperture are substantially in the same planes as theinternal surfaces of the flat broad front and rear walls 3t), 32 so thatthe dispensing aperture can fully accommodate the maximum transversedimension of an ink tube, to Wit, at the pinch 16. The height of thedispensing aperture is at least equal to its width but is less than oneand one-half times its Width, whereby the height of the dispensingaperture can accommodate the maximum transverse dimension of an ink tubebut is not large enough to permit ejection of the next-to-the-topcartridge in the stack. it thus will be seen that the dispensingaperture is in axial alignment with the uppermost cartridge in the stackwhen said cartridge is in its normal position pressed against the topwall of the casing by the spring 28 and that said dispensing apertureproperly disposed to permit free ejecting passage of said uppermostcartridge therethrough when the cartridge is moved in an axial directiontoward the left hand side of the dispenser.

A highly simplified arrangement is included to permit an axial ejectingforce to be applied to the uppermost cartridge in the stack. Inasmuch asthe cost of the dispenser preferably should be held to a minimum sincethe sales price of a full magazine should be about equal to the price ofthe cartridges alone, it is desirable to enable the axial force to beapplied without the interposition of any moving mechanical elementssuch, for instance, as a slider. To this end I form an ejecting notch 52at the upper right hand corner of the casing (at the end opposite thedispensing aperture). Said notch exposes the interior of the casing byin part eliminating the right hand end of the top wall 34 and in parteliminating the upper end of the right end wall 40. Phrased differently,the notch 52 is so located as, in effect, to constitute a removal of theupper part of the right end wall and the right part of the top wall.

The length of said notch in a direction parallel to the top Wall is notparticularly critical; it is only necessary that it be somewhat longerthan the thickness of the front wall 38. Nevertheless, I prefer that thelength of the ejecting notch be at least in the neighborhood of aboutone-quarter to one-half inch longer than the thickness of the front wallso that the length of the uppermost cartridges which will project fromthe magazine upon initiation of dispensing will be sutficient to begrasped between a persons fingers.

The height of the notch, that is to say, the vertical height of theinternal surface of the casing which is ex,- posed by the notch 52 atthe right hand wall 40, is a substantial fraction of the diameter of anink tube. Preferably such height of the notch is between one quarter andthe full diameter of an ink tube. Particularly satisfactory results areobtained when the height of the notch is about equal to one-half of thediameter of the ink tube whereby the upper half of the rear (right hand)end of the uppermost cartridge in the stack will be exposed above thecut away top of the right end wall 40.

To dispense a cartridge the user presses a finger, most usually histhumb, against the exposed rear end of the uppermost cartridge 12 in themagazine and pushes to- 'ward the left. The fleshy portion of the tip ofhis finger may be pressed against the back of the uppermost cartridge toprovide the required axial leftward thrust. Alternatively a fingernailmay be pressed against the exposed rear surface of the uppermostcartridge in the stack and pressed toward the left. In this fashion theuppermost cartridge in the stack will be pushed toward the left adistance equal to the horizontal length of the ejecting notch 52 wherebya considerable portion of the front end of this uppermost cartridge willprotrude from the dispensing aperture 48 as shown in FIG. 1. Thisprotruding front end then will be grasped between the users fingers andpulled out of the magazine.

It may be observed that during the aforesaid action a leftward force isexerted by the leftwardly moving uppermost cartridge in the stack on thenext lowermost cartridge in the stack due to frictional contact betweenthese two cartridges; however this next to the uppermost cartridge isprevented from being dispensed by the fact that it is not in alignmentwith the dispensing aperture and by the leftward checking movement ofthe ribs 44 at least one of which will be engaged by the shoulder 18 ofthis next to the uppermost cartridge.

As soon as the uppermost cartridge has been withdrawn ah the cartridgesremaining in the stack will shift upwardly by a distance equal to thediameter of one ink tube so that the next to the uppermost cartridge nowis pressed against the inner surface of the top wall 34 and becomes theuppermost cartridge. The remaining cartridges will assume a relationshipparallel to the uppermost cartridge due to the fact that the biasingspring 28 presses against the lowermost cartridge intermediate the endsthereof so that any skewing action of the cartridges which would makethem assume a position parallel to the top Wall is overcome.

It is highly desirable to provide the magazine with an indicator whichenables the user to ascertain visually how far the stack of cartridgeshas been depleted whereby he need not wait until the very last cartridgeis dispensed before he purchases a fresh magazine or refills the partially exhausted magazine. Such indication could be provided byfabricating the casing from a synthetic plastic which is transparent ortranslucent so that the approximate number of cartridges remainingwithin the magazine could be seen at a glance; however this arrangementis aesthetically undesirable since it also would expose to view the leafspring 28. i

To avoid such exposure, particularly in a full magazine on publicdispiay for sale I provide an alternate and particularly simpleindicating means constituting one or more open windows 54, in one orboth, and preferably both, the front and rear walls. The open windowshave a substantial vertical extent that terminates at the top near aboutthe next to the top cartridge and at the bottom near about the next tothe bottommost cartridge. The width of the open windows may varyconsiderably in order to secure any desired appearance.

It will be appreciated that the width merely need be suflicient toexpose to view cartridges within the magazine; but in order to serveother functions, I prefer to provide open windows in registration in thefront and back walls which windows individually are at least wide enoughfor the user to insert the tip of a finger into the same. Optionally,two such open windows may be provided in each of the front and rearWalls. By including the open windows not only am I able to provide anindication of the number of cartridges left in the magazine and reducethe quantity of plastic employed, but I also permit a user to grasp thecartridges in a stack through the windows and depress the entire stackagainst the leaf spring whereby to leave a clear space above theuppermost cartridge in the stack into which, if desired, the user canslip fresh cartridges and thereby replenish the magazine. The freshcartridges are introduced ball point first through the ejecting notchand after sufficient c'artridges have been fully inserted manualpressure on the stack is released and the spring 28 will bring thecartridges into parallelism with the newly uppermost cartridge pressingagainst the top wall of the casing.

Although the foregoing method can be utilized for initially filling themagazines at the factory I prefer to use another and simpler method. Onesuch other method consists in inserting a full complement of cartridgesinto either half of the casing which is provided with a peripheralflange and before the other half of the casing is mounted thereon. Thuswhile the front, for example, half of the casing is off and the rearhalf is in the position shown in FIG. 2 a group of cartridges is placedin the rear half and the spring flexed and set into position. Thereafterthe front half is mounted on the rear half.

Another method of loading, and the one which 1 pre-' fer, is tointergage the two halves of the casing while both halves are empty, thatis to say, while there are in the casing, neither cartridges nor spring.Then, before the spring is inserted, a set of cartridges are thrust, oneafter the other, through the ejection notch 52 ball point foremost inthe direction of the left end wall 38.

In order to predetermine the maximum number of cartridges that can beloaded in the magazine I provide a horizontal stop nib 56 which isparallel to the bottom wall 36 and is spaced above the same. The ribstarts at the left end wall 38 and extends toward the right end wall 40but only runs for a short distance, e.g. one-quarter to one-half inch.The stop rib is located diagonally opposite to the ejection notch 52 andwill determine the lowest position of the ball point end of the bottomcartridge inserted into the ejection notch when the magazine initiallyis being filled. It will be appreciated that cartridge after cartridgemay be inserted until the space within the casing from the stop rib 56to the top wall 34 is filled.

Thereafter the spring 28 is inserted in the clear space which remains atthe bottom of the interior of the casing. The spring is introducedthrough an insertion aperture 58 adjacent a bottom corner and in theleft end wall 38. Either end of the spring is first introduced up to thebend 46, then the bend is forced through the aperture 58 and the otherend is pushed into the casing. The spring is of the proper size so thatat this time when it is spread the most it will extend all the wayacross the bottom of the casing and thereby will be automaticallysubstantially self-centering.

Inasmuch as the stop rib 56 is below the bottom edges of the openwindows 54 the highest point of the spring which is the bend 46 will beconcealed by the opaque material of the front and rear walls. The springwill be visible subsequently after several cartridges have beendispensed but this is not considered detrimental.

Attention is drawn to the fact that by locating the insertion aperture58 in a position in which it is beneath the stop rib 56 any possibleinterference between the end of the spring being introduced and thelowermost cartridge in the stack is prevented. Moreover, by having therib 56 adjacent the left end wall of the casing in which wall thedispensing aperture 48 is located there is no chance that the end of thespring being introduced can mutilate the writing ball of the lowermostcartridge.

Attention further is drawn to the fact that the spring insertingaperture 58 has a height which is less than the diameter of the point 20of the cartridge whereby even if the stop rib 56 is made short so thatthe aperture 58 is accessible to the ball point of the lowermostcartridge, said point cannot protrude therethrough. Furthermore, it willbe observed that the height of the rib 56 is, or if two registered ribs56 are provided on the front and rear walls their combined heights are,such that the effective breadth of the interior space thereat is lessthan the diameter of the point whereby to enable said rib or ribs tofunction as stops.

It thus will be seen that I have provided a magazine which achieves theseveral objects of my invention, and which is well adapted to meet thedemands of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter illustrated or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be considered as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A magazine for successively singly dispensing therefrom the uppermostcartridge of a stack of vertically registered ball point cartridgescontained therein, wherein each of the cartridges constitutes an inktube having a pinch intermediate its ends and having a point of smallerdiameter extending forwardly from the front end of the ink tube anddefining a shoulder in conjunction with the ink tube, the front end ofthe point being provided with a writing ball, said pinch having at leastone transverse dimension exceeding the maximum transverse dimension ofthe balance of the ink tube: said magazine comprising, a hollowrectangular casing of opaque material having a front wall, a rear wall,a top wall, a bottom wall and two end walls, the interior of said casingdefining a high thin long hollow rectangular space in which said stackis located, the dimension of said space between the front and back wallsslightly exceeding the maximum transverse dimensions of the pinches, thedimension of said space between the end walls slightly exceeding thelengths of the cartridges and the dimension of the space between the topand bottom walls substantially exceeding the combined maximum transversedimensions, exclusive of the pinches, of all the ink tubes in the stack,at least the front or back Wall of the casing being provided with adifferent rib near each end wall and extending in a direction having asubstantial component parallel thereto, one rib being located nearer therear ends than the front ends of the cartridges in the stack and theother rib being located nearer the front ends than the rear ends of saidcartridges, the lib nearer the rear ends reducing the internal dimensionof the space between the front and back walls to a dimension slightly inexcess of the maximum transverse dimensions of the ink tubes exclusiveof the pinches, the other rib reducing the internal dimension of thespace between the front and back walls to a dimension slightly in excessof the maximum transverse dimension of the cartridges in the region ofsaid other rib, said other rib being located for abutment by theshoulders of the cartridges with the ball points spaced from theadjacent end wall of the casing, the upper ends of said ribs terminatingshort of the upper wall by a distance at least about equal to thediameter of an ink tube, one end wall of the casing being provided witha dispensing aperture adjacent the top wall and in axial alignment withthe uppermost cartridge, said dispensing aperture having a size andshape to freely pass a cartridge therethrough, said casing further beingprovided with an ejecting notch in the top wall and in the other endwall which ejecting notch exposes the rear end and a portion of the sideof the uppermost cartridge in the stack for access to a users finger forthe direct manual application of forward thrust on said cartridge, and aleaf spring constituting two legs joined by a bend, said leaf springbeing located with its ends spread and engaging the internal surface ofthe bottom wall of the casing and with its bend pressing against thelowermost cartridge in the stack intermediate the ends thereof, at leastone window being provided in the front wall and in the rear wall, saidwindows being coextensive at least to a substantial extent, each windowbeing at least large enough to admit the tip of a users finger whereby auser may manipulate cartridges in the stack through the windows todepress the stack and leave a space to receive fresh cartridges insertedthrough the ejecting notch, said casing further including a stop ribadjacent and spaced from the bottom wall and near one of the end wallsto define between it and the internal surface of the topwall thecomplete space for recciving cartridges, said casing having a springinserting aperture in one of the end walls near the bottom wall, saidspring inserting aperture being in the end wall near which the stop ribis located.

2. A magazine for successively singly dispensing therefrom the uppermotcartridge of a stack of vertically registered ball point cartridgescontained therein, wherein each of the cartridges constitutes an inktube having a pinch intermediate its ends and having a point of smallerdiameter extending forwardly from the front end of the ink tube anddefining a shoulder in conjunction with the ink tube, the front end ofthe point being provided with a writing ball, said pinch having at leastone transverse dimension exceeding the maximum transverse dimension ofthe balance of the ink tube: said magazine comprising, a hollowrectangular casing having a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, abottom wall and two end walls, the interior of said casing defining ahigh thin long hollow rectangular space in which said stack is located,the dimension of said space between the front and back walls slightlyexceeding the maximum transverse dimensions of the pinches, thedimension of said space between the end walls slightly exceeding thelengths of the cartridges and the dimension of the space between the topand bottom walls substantialy exceeding the combined maximum transversedimensions, exclusive of the pinches, of all the ink tubes in the stack,at leat the front or back wall of the casing being provided with adifferent rib near each end wall and extending in a direction having asubstantial component parallel thereto, one rib being located nearer therear ends than the front ends of the cartridges in the stack and theother rib being located nearer the front ends than the rear ends of saidcartridges, the rib nearer the rear ends reducing the internal dimensionof the space between the front and back walls to a dimension slightly inexcess of the maximum transverse dimension of the ink tubes exclusivethe pinches, the other rib reducing the internal dimension of the spacebetween the front and back walls to a dimension slightly in excess ofthe maximum transverse dimension of the cartridges in the region of saidother rib, said other rib being located for abutment by the shoulders ofthe cartridges with the ball points spaced from the adjacent end wall ofthe casing, the upper ends of said ribs terminating short of the upperwall by a distance at least about equal to the diameter of an ink tube,one end wall of the casing being provided with a dispensing apertureadjacent the top wall and in axial alignment with the uppermostcartridge, said dispensing aperture having a size and shape to freelypass a cartridge therethrough, said casing further being provided withan ejecting notch in the top wall and in the other end wall whichejecting notch exposes the rear end and a portion of the side of theuppermost cartridge in the stack for access to a users finger for thedirect manual application of forward thrust on said cartridge, and aleaf spring constituting two legs joined by a bend, said leaf springbeing located with its ends spread and engaging the internal surface ofthe bottom wall of the casing and with its bend pressing against thelowermost cartridge in the stack intermediate the ends thereof, at leastone window being provided in the front wall and in the rear wall, saidwindows being coextensive at least to a substantial extent, each windowbeing at least large enough to admit the tip of a users finger whereby auser may manipulate cartridges in the stack through the windows todepress the stack and leave a space to receive fresh cartridges insertedthrough the ejecting notch, said casing further including a stop ribadjacent and spaced from the bottom wall and near one of the end wallsto define between it and the internal surface of the top wall thecomplete space for receiving cartridges, said casing having a springinserting aperture in one of the end walls near the bottom wall saidspring inserting aperture being in the end wall, near which the stop ribis located.

3. A magazine for successively singly dispensing therefrom the uppermostcartridge of a stack of vertically registered ball point cartridgescontained therein, wherein each of the cartridges constitutes an inktube having a pinch intermediate its ends and having a point of smalldiameter extending forwardly from the front end of the ink tube anddefining a shoulder in conjunction with the ink tube, the front end ofthe point being provided with a writing ball, said pinch having at leastone transverse dimension exceeding the maximum transverse dimension ofthe balance of the ink tube: said magazine comprising, a hollowrectangular casing having a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, abottom wall and two end walls, the interior of said casing defining ahigh thin long hollow rectangular space in which said stack is located,the dimension of said space between the front and back walls slightlyexceeding the maximum transverse dimensions of the pinches, thedimension of said space between the end walls slightly exceeding thelengths of the cartridges and the dimension of the space between the topand bottom walls substantially exceeding the combined maximum transversedimensions, exclusive of the pinches, of all the ink tubes in the stack,at least the front or back wall of the casing being provided with adifferent rib near each end wall and extending in a direction having asubstantial component parallel thereto, one rib being located nearer therear ends than the front ends of the cartridges in the stack and theother rib being located nearer the front ends than the rear ends of saidcartridges, the rib nearer the rear ends reducing the internal dimensionof the space between the front and back walls to a dimension slightly inexcess of the maximum transverse dimensions of the ink tubes exclusiveof the pinches, the other rib reducing the internal dimension of thespace between the front and back walls to a dimension slightly in excessof the maximum transverse dimension of the cartridges in the region ofsaid other rib, one end wall of the casing being provided with adispensing aperture adjacent the top wall and in axial alignment withthe uppermost cartridge, said dispensing aperture having a size andshape to freely pass a cartridge therethrough, said casing further beingprovided with an ejecting notch in the top wall and in the other endwall which ejecting notch exposes the rear end and a portion of the sideof the uppermost cartridge in the stack for access to a users finger forthe direct manual application of forward thrust on said cartridge, and aleaf spring constituting two legs joined by a bend, said leaf springbeing located with its ends spread and engaging the internal surface ofthe bottom wall of the casing and with its bend pressing against thelowermost cartridge in the stack intermediate the ends thereof, at leastone window being provided in the front wall and in the rear wall, saidwindows being coextensive at least to a substantial extent, each windowbeing at least large enough to admit the tip of a users finger whereby auser may manipulate cartridges in the stack through the windows todepress the stack and leave a space to receive fresh cartridges insertedthrough the ejecting notch, said casing further including a stop ribadjacent and spaced from the bottom wall and 11 near one of the endwalls to define between it and the internal surface of the top wall thecomplete space for receiving cartridges, said casing having a springinserting aperture in one of the end walls near the bottom wall, saidspring inserting aperture being in the end wall near which the stop ribis located.

4. A magazine for successively singly dispensing therefrom the uppermostcartridge of a stack of vertically registered ball point cartridgescontained therein, wherein each of the cartridges constitutes an inktube having a pinch intermediate its ends and having a point of smallerdiameter extending forwardly from the front end of the ink tube anddefining a shoulder in conjunction with the ink tube, the front end :ofthe point being provided with a writing ball, said pinch having at leastone transverse dimension exceeding the maximum transverse dimension ofthe balance of the ink tube: said magazine comprising, a hollowrectangular casing having a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, abottom wall and two end walls, the interior of said casing defining ahigh thin long hollow rectangular space in which said stack is located,the dimension of said space between the front and back walls slightlyexceeding the maximum transverse dimensions of the pinches, thedimension of said space between the end walls slightly exceeding thelengths of the cartridges and the dimension of the space between the topand bottom walls substantially exceeding the combined maximum transversedimensions, exclusive of the pinches, of all the ink tubes in the stack,at least the front or back wall of the casing being provided with adifferent rib near each end wall and extending in a direction having asubstantial component parallel thereto, one rib being located nearer therear ends than the front ends of the cartridges in the stack and theother rib being located nearer the front ends than the rear ends of saidcartridges, the rib nearer the rear ends reducing the internal dimensionof the space between the front and back walls to a dimension slightly inexcess of the maximum transverse dimensions of the ink tubes exclusiveof the pinches, the other rib reducing the internal dimension of thespace between the front and back walls to a dimension slightly in excessof the maximum transverse dimension of the cartridges in the region ofsaid other rib, one end wall of the casing being provided with adispensing aperture adjacent the top wall and in axial alignment withthe uppermost cartridge, said dispensing aperture having a size andshape to freely pass a cartridge therethrough, said casing further beingprovided with an ejecting notch in the top wall and in the other endwall which ejecting notch exposes the rear end and a portion of the sideof the uppermost cartridge in the stack for access to a users finger forthe direct manual application of forward thrust on said cartridge, andmeans biasing the lowermost cartridge in the stack toward the top wall,at least one window being provided in the front wall and in the rearwall, said windows being coextensive at least to a substantial extent,each window being at least large enough to admit the tip of a usersfinger whereby a user may manipulate cartridges in the stack through thewindows to depress the stack and leave a space to receive f-reshcartridges inserted through the ejecting notch, said casing furtherincluding a stop rib adjacent and spaced from the bottom wall and nearone of the end Walls to define between it and the internal surface ofthe top wall the complete space for receiving cartridges.

5. A magazine for successively singly dispensing therefrom the uppermostcartridge of a stack of vertically registered ball point cartridgescontained therein, wherein each of the cartridges constitutes an inktube having a pinch intermediate its ends and having a point of smallerdiameter extending forwardly from the front end of the ink tube anddefining a shoulder in conjunction with the ink tube, the front end ofthe point being provided with a writing ball, said pinch having at leastone transverse dimension exceeding the maximum transverse dimension ofthe balance of the ink tube: said magazine comprising,

a hollow rectangular casing having a front wall, :a rear Wall, a topwall, a bottom wall and two end walls, the interior of said casingdefining a high thin long hollow rectangular space in which said stackis located, the dimension of said space between the front and back wallsslightly exceeding the maximum transverse dimensions of the pinches, thedimension of said space between the end walls slightly exceeding thelengths of the cartridges and the dimension of the space between the topand bottom walls substantially exceeding the combined maximum transversedimensions, exclusive of the pinches, of all the ink tubes in the stack,at least the front or back wall of the casing being provided with adifferent rib near each end wall and extending in a direction having asubstantial component parallel thereto, one rib being located nearer therear ends than the front ends of the cartridges in the stack and theother rib being located nearer the front ends than the rear ends of saidcartridges, the rib nearer the rear ends reducing the internal dimensionof the space between the front and back walls to a dimension slightly inexcess of the maximum transverse dimensions of the ink tubes exclusiveof the pinches, the other rib reducing the internal dimension of thespace between the front and back walls to a dimension slightly in excessof the maximum transverse dimension of the cartridges in the region ofsaid other rib, one end wall of the casing being provided with adispensing aperture adjacent the top wall and in axial alignment withthe uppermost cartridge, said dispensing aperture having a size andshape to freely pass a cartridge therethrough, said casing further beingprovided with an ejecting notch in the top wall and in the other endwall which ejecting notch exposes the rear end and a portion of the sideof the uppermost cartridge in the stack for access to a users finger forthe direct manual application of forward thrust on said cartridge, andmeans biasing the lowermost cartridge in the stack toward the top wall,at least one window being provided in the front wall and in the rearwall, said windows being coextensive at least to a substantial extent,each window being at least large enough to admit the tip of a usersfinger whereby a user may manipulate cartridges in the stack through thewindows to depress the stack and leave a space to receive freshcartridges inserted through the ejecting notch.

6. A magazine for successively singly dispensing therefrom the uppermostcartridge of a stack of vertically registered ball point cartridgescontained therein, where in each of the cartridges constitutes an inktube having a pinch intermediate its ends and having a point of smallerdiameter extending forwardly from the front end of the ink tube anddefining a shoulder in conjunction with the ink tube, the front end ofthe point being provided with a writing ball, said pinch having at leastone transverse dimension exceeding the maximum transverse dimension ofthe balance of the ink tube: said magazine comprising, a hollowrectangular casing having a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, abottom wall and two end walls. the interior of said casing defining ahigh thin long hollow rectangular space in which said stack is located,the dimension of said space between the front and back walls slightlyexceeding the maximum transverse dimensions of the pinches, thedimension of said space between the end walls slightly exceeding thelengths of the cartridges and the dimension of the space between the topand bottom Walls substantially exceeding the combined maximum transversedimensions, exclusive of the pinches, of all the ink tubes in the stack,at least the front or back wall of the casing being provided with adifferent rib near each end wall and extending in a direction having asubstantial component parallel thereto, one rib being located nearer therear ends than the front ends of the cartridges in the stack and theother rib being located nearer the front ends than the rear ends of saidcartridges, the rib nearer the rear ends reducing the internal dimensionof the space between the front and back walls to a dimen- 13 sionslightly in excess of the transverse dimensions of the ink tubesexclusive of the pinches, the other rib reducing the internal dimensionof the space between the front and back walls to a dimension slightly inexcess of the maximum transverse dimension of the cartridges in theregion of said other rib, one end wall of the casing being provided witha dispensing aperture adjacent the .top Wall and in axial alignment withthe uppermost cartridge, said dispensing aperture having a size andshape to freely pass a cartridge therethroug h, said casing furtherbeing provided with an ejecting notch in the top wall and in the otherend wall which ejecting notch exposes .the rear end and a portion of theside 01 14 the uppermost cartridge in the stack for access to a usersfinger for the direct manual application of forward thrust on saidcartridge, and means biasing the lowermost cartridge in the stack toward.the top wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

6. A MAGAZINE FOR SUCCESSIVELY SINGLY DISPENSING THEREFROM THE UPPERMOSTCARTRIDGE OF A STACK OF VERTICALLY REGISRERED BALL POINT CARTRIDGESCONTAINED THEREIN, WHEREIN EACH OF THE CARTRIDGES CONSTITUTES A INK TUBEHAVING A PINCH INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS AND HAVING A POINT OF SMALLERDIAMETER EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM THE FRONT END OF THE INK TUBE ANDDEFINING A SHOULDER IN CONJUCTION WITH THE INK TUBE, THE FRONT END OFTHE POINT BEING PROVIDED WITH A WRITING BALL, SAID PINCH HAVING AT LEASTONE TRANSVERSE DIMENSION EXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OFTHE BALANCE OF THE INK TUBE: SAID MAGAZINE COMPRISING, A HOLLOWRECTANGULAR CASING HAVING A FRONT WALL, A REAR WALL, A TOP WALL, ABOTTOM WALL AND TWO END WALLS. THE INTERIOR OF SAID CASING DEFINING AHIGH THIN LONG HOLLOW RECTANGULAR SPACE IN WHICH SAID STACK IS LOCATED,THE DIMENSION OF SAID SPACE BETWEEN THE FRONT AND BACK WALLS SLIGHTLYEXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONS OF THE PINCHES, THEDIMENSION OF SAID SPACE BETWEEN THE END WALLS SLIGHTLY EXCEEDING THELENGTHS OF THE CARTRIDGES AND THE DIMENSION OF THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TOPAND BOTTOM WALLS SUBSTANTIALLY EXCEEDING THE COMBINED MAXIMUM TRANSVERSEDIMENSIONS, EXCLUSIVE OF THE PINCHES, OF ALL THE INK TUBES IN THE STACK,AT LERAST THE FRONT OR BACK WALL OF THE CASING BEING PROVIDED WITH ADIFFERENT RIB NEAR EACH END WALL AND EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION HAVING ASUBSTANTIAL COMPONENT PARALLEL THERETO, ONE RIB BEING LOCATED NEARER THEREAR ENDS THAN THE FRONT ENDS OF THE CARTRIDGES IN THE STACK AND THEOTHER RIB BEING LOCATED NEARER THE FRONT ENDS THAN THE REAR ENDS OF SAIDCARTRIDGES, THE RIB NEARER THE REAR ENDS REDUCING THE INTERNAL DIMENSIONOF THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FRONT AND BACK WALLS TO A DIMENSION SLIGHTHLYIN EXCESS OF THE MAXIMUM TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONS OF THE INK TUBESEXCLUSIVE OF THE PINCHES, THE OTHER RIB REDUCING THE INTERNAL DIMENSIONOF THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FRONT AND BACK WALLS TO A DIMENSION SLIGHTLY INEXCESS OF THE MAXIMUM TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF THE CARTRIDGES IN THEREGION OF SAID OTHER RIB, ONE END WALL OF THE CASING BEING PROVIDED WITHA DISPENSING APERTURE ADJACENT THE TOP WALL AND IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITHTHE UPPERMOST CARTRIDGE, SAID DISPENSING APERTURE HAVING A SIZE ANDSHAPE TO FREELY PASS A CARTRIDGE THERETHROUGH, SAID CASING FURTHER BEINGPROVIDED WITH AN EJECTING NOTCH IN THE TOP WALL AND IN THE OTHER ENDWALL WHICH EJECTING NOTCH EXPOSES THE REAR END AND A PORTION OF THE SIDEOF THE UPPERMOST CARTRIDGE IN THE STACK FOR ACCESS TO A USER''S FINGERFOR THE DIRECT MANUAL APPLICATION OF FORWARD THRUST ON SAID CARTRIDGE,AND MEANS BIASING THE LOWERMOST CARTRIDGE IN THE STACK TOWARD THE TOPWALL.